Toy.



No. 77,723. Pate nted July 2, l90l.

' c. w. WALTERS.

TOY.

(Applination filed Mar. 18, 1901.)

(No ModaL) //v VENTOH ZarZsv WWk-rw UNITED Srnrns PATENT @rrrcn.

CHARLES WINGATE XVALTERS, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

TOY.

SPECIFIGATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 677,723, dated July 2, 1901 Application filed March 13, 1901. Serial No. 50,951- (No modeh? T0 ctZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES WINGATE WALTERS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Richmond, in the county of Ilenrico and State of Virginia, have invented a new and Improved Toy, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a class of toys employing as a feature a figure normally concealed, but adapted to become suddenly exposed in a startling way if some portion of the toy is manipulated.

The object of this invention is to provide a novel, simple, and inexpensive toy of the character indicated which is small and compact, as well as very light, whereby it is adapted for convenient carriage in the pocket to be quickly exposed as may be desired.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, as is hereinafterdescribed,and defined in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the toy in opened condition. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View showing parts of the device in folded adjustment, and Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken at right angles to the section-line of Fig. 2 and substantially onv the line 3 3 in Fig. 2.

The improved toy as an amusing novelty is designed to simulate the concealed immersion of a nude child in a bathing-tank and the sudden emergence of the bather from the water therein when a cover on the tank is quickly raised, the unexpected appearance of the naked child having a startling and amusing effect upon one to whom the con: struction of the toy is unknown.

In the drawings, which represent the features of novelty, 4 indicates a bathing-tank substantially rectangular in form and preferably of shallow depth, the dimensions of the tank being such as will adapt it for convenient carriage and manipulation. Upon one sidewall of the tank at the lid 5 is hinged, said lid having a flat top wall and a depending marginal flange 5 thereon, which is adapted to fit neatly around the tank side walls when the lid is closed and covers the tank.

The tank 4- and lid 5 may be constructed of sheet metal or other suitable material which will permit the front side 4t of the tank to have resilience, and for the effective operation of the lid on the tank the two opposite side flanges 5 on the lid should loosely embrace the'corresponding sides of the tank when folded down thereover, while the front and rear sides of the tank are closely engaged by the front and rear depending flanges of the lid, to be released by pressure on the resilient front wall t of the tank.

The nude figure 6, which represents a small childhaving its arms slightly extended, as would be a natural posture on emergence from a bath, is positioned in the tank 4, near the transverse center thereof, and adjacent to the rear side wall of the tank, whereon the lid 5 is hinged.

It is essential in carrying into effect the desired automatic movements of the figure 6 that provision be made for its instantaneous resumption of an erect posture as soon as the lid 5 is opened, and a feature of the invention consists in providing novel simple means whereby the act of folding the lid to close it upon the tank 4: will communicate torsional strain to an appliance connected with the lower limbs of the figure 6, so that the release of the folded lid will permit the spring tension of the appliance to instantly elevate the figure and simultaneously throw open the lid.

The torsion-spring appliance essentially comprises the strong double cord 7, the two strands of which are separated at their center of length and passed over the feet of the figure 6, so as to embrace its ankles 6. The ends of the double cord 7 are fastened upon the inner ends of the keeper-plugs 8, which plugs are neatly fitted into opposite perforations formed in opposite sides of the tank 4, near the rear wall thereof, flattened end portions of the plugs extending from the exterior of the sides of the tank for convenient manipulation.

The body portions of the keeper-plugs 8 are slightly tapered between their ends, so that by inward pressure applied to their outer ends said plugs may be detachably fixed in the walls of the perforations they occupy, and

ment.

Aflowing or loose sheet of fibrous material 9 is introduced within the tank 4, so as to cover the feet of the figure 6 and the torsionspring appliance connected therewith, this sheet simulating water in the tank.

In arranging the device for operation the plugs 8 are rotated before they are pressed inward, and thus correspondingly twist the doubled strands of the cord 7, and it is essential that the direction and degree of torsionalspring strain thus provided should be adapted to instantly elevate the figure 6 into an upright position when the figure is free to assume such a posture. When the cord is properly twisted, the plugs 8 are pressed inward to prevent untwisting of the cord 7.

It will be seen that the figure 6 may be depressed and completely folded down in the tank 4 by closure of the lid 5, and the frictional engagement of the front wall of the flange 5 of the lid with the resilient front wall 45 of the tank should be sufficient to hold the lid in closed adjustment.

The device when in closed condition appears to be simply a small box similar to a style of tin boxes provided to carry small cigars or cigarettes, and if preferred the exterior of the tank and its lid may be labeled as if it were a cigarette holder or box.

As a means of innocent diversion the toy if representing a cigarette-box will be very amusing in case the person having the toy should hand it to a friend to remove a cigarette therefrom with instructions to press upon the front wall of the tank, as the instant and unexpected appearance of the nude figure instead of the cigarettes will tend to startle and confuse the party who opened the device. I

Of course different styles of exterior finish may be given to the tank and lid to render it more or less ornamental and adapt it for the amusement of all classes.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A toy, comprising a tank having a resilient front wall, a lid hinged to fold upon the tank and frictionally engage with the resilient front wall, a figure, a torsional spring comprising two twisted strands extending transversely in the tank and loosely secured in opposite sides thereof, said strands having engagement with the lower limbs of the figure and exerting torsional-spring tension thereon when the figure is depressed and the lid folded upon the tank, said figure being elevated by the spring when the lid is released.

2. A toy, comprising a rectangular tank having a resilient front wall, a lid hinged to fold thereon and adapted to catch on said front wall, a nude figure, a torsion-spring device, comprising two adjustable plugs engaging in opposite perforations in the sides of the tank, and a doubled and twisted cord placed on the ankles of the figure and connected by its ends with the inner ends of the plugs, the cord having torsional force which adapts it to throw up the folded figure and lid, when the lid is released from the front Wall of the tank.

3. A toy, comprising a rectangular tank having a resilient front wall, a lid having a like form to that of the tank and provided with a continuous depending flange hinged upon the rear side of the tank, said flange catching upon the resilient front wall of the tank, a figure, a torsion-spring device, comprising two adjustable plugs engaging in opposite perforations in the sides of the tank near its rear wall, a double cord looped around the ankles of the figure and connected by its ends with the inner ends of the plugs, said cord by twisting it having torsional force that adapts it to throw up the folded figure and lid when the lid is released from the resilient tank-wall, and aloose sheet representing'water in the tank.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES WINGATE WALTERS.

Witnesses:

DANIEL MURPHY, HoLooMBE S. AOKERLY. 

